Third Mate - National Geographic Sea Lion & National Geographic Sea Bird

Job Description

Job Description

WHO WE ARE

Lindblad Expeditions is a true pioneer in Expedition Travel. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, opening the Galapagos and Easter Island to tourism in 1967, leading the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1984, and launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, we're now taking almost 30,000 guests a year to some of the world’s most remote and pristine locations on our fleet of 20 ships, and are committed to ensuring our guests experience the “Exhilaration of Discovery”.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Third Mate is responsible for managing crew and staff familiarization and participation in the ISM Safety Management System, as well as assisting with the vessel's piloting, navigation, safety and small boat operations.  Third Mate is responsible for the care and maintenance of the kayaks and all related gear.  

LIVING CONDITIONS 

Crew quarters are compact and shared — you will bunk with one or two roommates for the full duration of your rotation, with minimal personal space. The vessel operates in remote locations with limited or no port access between expeditions, so cell service and internet may be unavailable for extended periods. You must bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medications, as refills cannot be obtained while underway.

This lifestyle suits people who are adaptable, self-sufficient, and genuinely energized by close-knit team environments and remote travel. If those conditions sound like a challenge rather than an adventure, this may not be the right fit. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

This is a physically demanding role performed in a moving marine environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, bend, kneel, squat, and climb steep interior stairs repeatedly throughout a 12-hour shift — including during periods of significant vessel motion. The employee must regularly lift and carry items up to 50 pounds. Work rotates continuously across cabin cleaning, dishwashing, laundry, and food service, often without extended breaks. Work is performed in confined spaces and high-humidity environments.

• Watch Duty

  • Stands bridge navigation and deck watch during assigned periods.
  • Determines the vessel's geographical position using GPS, radar, visual observations, depth sounders, and other available means.
  • Maintains accurate entries in navigation and radio logs.
  • Assists with docking, anchoring, and piloting in close-quarters and open-sea conditions as directed by the Captain.
  • Navigates to avoid marine hazards — reefs, shoals, shallow waters — using aids to navigation including lights, lighthouses, and buoys.
  • Completes pilotage logs for Alaska, British Columbia, and Columbia/Snake River transits to meet pilotage requirements and qualify for unsupervised watch.

  Safety & Security

  • Participates in all onboard safety training, meetings, and drills, including fire, abandon ship, man overboard, flooding, security, medical emergency, and kayak recovery exercises.
  • Attends shore-side training as required by the company.
  • Conducts kayak safety briefings for guests.
  • Performs and relieves gangway watch per the duty schedule.
  • Maintains working knowledge of ISM and ISPS Code requirements.
  • Upholds all responsibilities under the company Safety Management System, including Emergency Response activities.
  • Conducts and documents Safety Familiarization tours for crew and staff.

  Small Boat Operations

  • Operates inflatable boats as needed.
  • Assists guests, staff, and crew with boarding and disembarking inflatable boats.
  • Oversees routine upkeep and maintenance of kayaks and associated equipment.

  Administrative

  • Serves as the shipboard Waste Management and Pest Management Officer.
  • Manages the Integrated Pest Management Plan in compliance with CDC Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) requirements.
  • Maintains the ship's Safety Data Sheet inventory.
  • Ensures all crew have access to the SMS and its document library.

• Health insurance including Medical, Dental, Vision  
• Room and board when scheduled
• Travel Day Pay
• Travel Expenses Paid
• Uniforms Provided

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Desired qualifications:

Experience as Mate operating a passenger vessel, including navigation and bridge watch responsibilities, operating inflatable boats and completing ISM Safety Management System inspections, checklists and reports. 

Experience operating port-to-port between Southeast Alaska, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, the Gulf of California, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Colombia, and Panama (including the Panama Canal). 

Excellent crisis management skills; ability to act quickly with confidence while exercising sound judgement. 

Good customer service skills: professional demeanor, ability to use necessary levels of tact and courtesy. 

Strong time management skills: able to handle multiple tasks, set priorities, and meet deadlines. 

Communication Skills:

The Third Mate must possess the ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations as well as written form.

Licenses, Certificates, Registrations: 

Minimum USCG Mate 100 GRT Near Coastal License required. USCG Master 100 GRT Near Coastal License preferred. 

Current First Aid/CPR/AED certification required.  

Valid TWIC card required. 

Valid US Passport required. 

Valid USCG Medical Card per STCW standards (2 years). 

STCW Advanced Firefighting (AFF) Certification preferred. 

STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) within last 5 years required. 

STCW Crowd Management (CM) required. 

STCW Crisis Management and Human Behavior (CMHB) required. 

STCW Bridge Resource Management (BRM) preferred. 

STCW Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other than Fast Rescue Boat (PSC) preferred. 

Radar Observer (RO) endorsement required. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands are described in the Third Mate Job Analysis sheet and are available to all applicants.

WORK SCHEDULE 

The Third Mate works 12 hours per day of varied hours; watches as per the captain and needs of the vessel plus administrative or small boat activities, approximately 8 weeks on, 4 weeks off rotational schedule. 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT 

This job description is intended only to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee in this position.  It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills or abilities required of persons so classified or assigned.

Employment is contingent on the following:

- In compliance with U.S. Coast Guard Regulations, 46 CFR Parts 4, 5, and 16, you will be required to undergo the following drug tests: post-offer prior to start date, random, reasonable cause, and serious marine incident per US Federal guidelines.

- Pre-offer background check; employment is contingent upon the results of this screening.

- Post-offer physical examination; your employment is dependent upon being determined fit for sea duty. 

Continued employment is dependent upon consent to and passing these tests.

Lindblad Expeditions continues to highly recommend that all new hires be up to date with all vaccines prior to the first day of employment and getting boosted annually when eligible, including those vaccines that protect against COVID-19. All crew must still comply with all country-specific vaccination requirements.

Communication Skills 

Using the English language, this person must have the ability to read, write, and comprehend policies, legal guidelines, correspondence, and memos.   Must also possess the ability to effectively communicate--both in writing and orally--with a professional demeanor. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear.  The employee will also be required to write and type. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The physical demands per position are described in the Job Analysis sheet and are available to all applicants upon request.

COMPENSATION STATEMENT

Lindblad Expeditions determines the pay for positions using local, national, and industry-specific survey data. We evaluate external equity and the cost of labor/prevailing wage index in the relative marketplace for jobs directly comparable to jobs within our company. Our posted salary range is based on national data and may be refined for a candidate's region/town/cost of living.

For new hires, we strive to make competitive offers allowing the new employee room for future growth. Salaries will be based on the applicant’s location, level of experience, education, and specialized knowledge and skills. An employee/candidate with a stronger skill set will receive higher pay.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT

At Lindblad Expeditions, we simply could not do our work without the diverse kaleidoscope of humanity that creates and delivers our remarkable offerings across the planet. As a Company that respects and celebrates the inherent diversity in the places we explore, we recognize the need to mirror that same diversity and all the interconnected perspectives within our organization. We are committed to building a community of different genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, chosen identities, and countries of origin where every person brings their whole self to work and whose skills, talents, and abilities are valued. We believe we can explore further and in a more meaningful way by actively creating a more diverse and inclusive organization where everyone feels they belong.

Lindblad Expeditions is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment at Lindblad Expeditions are considered without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, pregnancy, unemployment status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or veteran status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.